Touch of class settles it

STRIKER Curtis Main tries to get a shot away.

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Athletic 1, Chesterfield 0

BEFORE Mike Jones touched the ball to his right and arrowed a shot back in the other direction to beat Tommy Lee in the Chesterfield goal, this appeared to be one that would get away.

Athletic were better than their limited opponents throughout, carving out several half-chances while Joel Coleman was a virtual spectator.

But with Aaron Amadi-Holloway taken off on a stretcher with an ankle injury, there was a sense that John Sheridan’s side wouldn’t find that crucial breakthrough in the last half-hour.

Up stepped Jones, a one-man show who gave the lie to the idea this high-pressure, occasionally low-quality duel would be decided by an error. He settled it with a touch of class.

The effect of the result is to pull Danny Wilson’s side down towards the mire. Fleetwood, too, are right in the mix. Athletic may not be out of the bottom four, but with two home games to come the wait might not be too long.

Amadi-Holloway’s projected absence is a huge blow. Even so, four points from two tough games over Easter shows Sheridan’s squad is made of sterner stuff.

Anthony Gerrard recovered from illness to step back into the starting line-up, one of three changes to the side that took a 0-0 draw at leaders Burton two days earlier. Also back were Matt Palmer and Jonathan Forte, with Carl Winchester and Jones dropping to the bench.

Athletic chased a second victory in seven matches. Sheridan lined his side up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Timothee Dieng in midfieldand Curtis Main and Forte providing support in attack for Amadi-Holloway.

Athletic were the more fluid side in the first half and went close to scoring four times. First, Palmer picked up a loose ball in midfield, drove forward and shot low and a yard wide from 20 yards out. Next Amadi-Holloway stole between Lee and defender Charlie Raglan to get his forehead to a Palmer corner but didn’t get enough purchase on the ball. Amadi-Holloway was later only an outstretched leg away from turning in a Forte cross-shot. And two minutes before half-time, Main connected sweetly with a Tareiq Holmes-Dennis cross, only to see Lee save off his left-footed effort - Athletic’s first shot on target since the Rochdale game.

The second half was not a pretty affair, with moments of class in either final third a rarity.

Coleman was extended by a hanging cross while at the other end, Forte fluffed a header and was relieved to see an offside flag.

Amadi-Holloway landed painfully on an ankle after challenging for a header and was carried off, with Jones introduced. The goal he scored, his third of the season, was almost followed seconds later when a neat lob from Timmy Thiele was arched back over the bar by the opposition goalkeeper.

Thiele then went off with a shoulder injury and it was all hands to the defensive pump for the final stages.

Clear-cut chances failed to be carved out and Athletic ran out worthy winners after six minutes of added time.